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SUNDAY, APRIL 9, 2017 SPORTS

Valverde secures overall UFC fight put in limbo Kris Meeke’s Corsica victory in Basque Tour by breast implant rule dream goes up in smoke BUFFALO: Pearl Gonzalez’s fight at UFC 210 almost didn’t happen. MADRID: Veteran Spanish rider Alejandro Valverde BASTIA: Kris Meeke was agonisingly forced to give up his lead of the Tour Gonzalez’s bout was temporarily in limbo Friday because of a New York won the Tour of the Basque Country for the first of Corsica yesterday when his Citroen began belching out smoke, with time after coming in second in today’s final state fight rule that bans fighters from competing with breast implants. Thierry Neuville taking full advantage. The Northern sixth stage, a time trial in Eibar. The 36-year- The rule states, “Due to the concern over rupture, boxers who have Irishman went into the weekend more than 10 seconds in old Movistar rider, who finished second breast implants are not eligible to box in New York. Boxers who have had front of France’s reigning four-time world champion behind Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic on the day, breast reduction surgeries are eligible to box.” “They just said that breast Sebastien Ogier of Ford with the Belgian Neuville in his adds the title to his victory in the Tour of implants were not allowed in this state. I was a little appalled,” Gonzalez Hyundai in third. But Meeke’s hopes of a successive victo- Catalonia last month. Alberto Contador was said. “I put it in my paperwork. I’ve never lied about it.” The UFC was kept ry-he triumphed in Mexico in the previous leg of the Valverde’s main rival but the former Tour de informed of the situation and never canceled the fight. “I looked at my World Rally Championship-quickly unravelled at the end France winner could not make up the time dif- team and I said there was no way this fight is off. We’re fighting,” of the sixth stage when he suffered engine trouble and ference in the day’s 27km time trial and finished Gonzalez said. “It’s out. There’s nothing I can do. I’m not going to dwell could only coast to the line with smoke billowing out of his second overall, 14 seconds adrift. Roglic won the on this.” But the breast ban was temporarily lifted and Gonzalez was Citroen. That propelled Neuville into the lead and he stage in 35mins 58sec, nine seconds ahead of scheduled to go ahead and make her UFC debut against Cynthia Calvillo refused to let it go for the rest of the day, even streak- Valverde, who had seized the overall leader’s on Saturday at the KeyBank Center. UFC President Dana White tweeted , ing clear of Ogier in the last stage of Saturday yellow jersey by winning the fifth stage “THIS FIGHT IS ON!!!!” The state athletic commission cleared Gonzalez to when the Frenchman suffered a hydraulic on Friday. — AFP fight after talking to her physician and giving the issue “careful consider- problem to find himself 38.9sec down ation and review.” —AP going into the final action today. —AFP Mickelson confident while Couples turns back clock

AUGUSTA: Former Masters champions putting really well. And if I can have a good and are con- putting weekend I’m going to have a good tenders for historic age-mark triumphs this chance.” weekend at Augusta National if they turn Couples will be paired Saturday with 22- back the clock to their green jacket prime. year-old Spaniard in the fourth- Couples, the 1992 Masters winner, fired to-last group. Rahm was born two years a two-under par 70 Friday in a windy sec- and seven months after Couples captured ond round of the 81st Masters to share his green jacket. sixth on one-under par 143 after 36 holes, “I feel like my age is still OK because I three shots off the midway lead. can drive it far enough,” Couples said. “I’m “I’m not going to be thinking about win- not long like I used to be on this kind of ning the tournament until the back nine on course, but it still plays where I can reach a Sunday, but I’ve got a long way to go lot of these greens with shorter clubs to before I worry about that,” Couples said. make the ball stop around the hole. I’ve “Someone’s going to win Sunday and if I been hitting the ball very solid.” play well enough maybe I’ll have a shot.” Couples, 57, could become the oldest ‘GOAL IS TO KEEP FIGHTING’ major winner in history, eclipsing the age Couples missed last year and struggled mark set by compatriot Julius Boros, who in 2015 due to back problems, but before was 48 when he won the 1968 PGA that had been in the top 10 five years in a Championship. row after 36 holes, leading in 2012. But his Mickelson, a five-time major champion best finish in any of those outings was sixth vying for a fourth Augusta victory, strug- in 2010. “I’m a competitor, so I like to gled late to shoot 73 and was another believe in myself. I’ve had a lot of good fin- stroke adrift sharing 10th on 144 but confi- ishes here and my goal is to keep fighting dent he could claim his first victory since with these guys,” Couples said. “Tomorrow winning the British Open. “I’m very opti- is a tough day. I’m not thinking winning mistic I’m going to make a good run,” this tournament, but I’m thinking continu- Mickelson said. “I’m in a good spot heading ing to play well and see what happens.” into the weekend, just feel I should be a Couples birdied three of the first five holes few more ahead.” Mickelson, two months Friday and answered bogeys at 16 and 17 shy of his 47th birthday, would break the with a closing birdie. Masters age record set by 18-time major Mickelson closed with three bogeys in winner , who won the 1986 the final five holes Friday after flirting with AUGUSTA: Sergio Garcia of Spain plays a shot on the 12th hole during the second round of the 2017 at Augusta National Masters at age 46 for his sixth green jacket the lead earlier on the back nine. “I fought Golf Club on Friday in Augusta, . — AFP and last major crown. “I struggled a little hard. It was a hard, difficult day,” Mickelson bit with the putter,” said Mickelson, who said. “I look at every hole as a tough par. complained wind blew putts off course in When we have some good birdie opportu- GOLF the first two days before moving out late nities, I try to take advantage. I had some Friday. “Hopefully with calm conditions I’ll easy pars that I made bogeys on. And you get that thing dialed in because I’ve been just can’t do that.” —AFP Garcia, Fowler among leaders in four-way Masters gridlock

AUGUSTA: Spain’s Sergio Garcia, winless in 73 slam by winning the Masters, close with a bogey incredibly well. If I do that, I think I have a shot.” major starts, joined , Charley to shoot 73 Friday. “Disappointed to finish like Rahm, 22, won at Torrey Pines to reach Hoffman and in the biggest 36- that, but I’m still within five of the lead with bet- Augusta and could become the first Masters hole Masters leader logjam since 1973 at blus- ter conditions on the way,” McIlroy said. “I still debutante winner since 1979. “First timers don’t tery Augusta National on Friday. feel like I’m right in this tournament.” usually have a great history at Torrey Pines either A second day of high winds left the top pack- Couples, the 1992 Masters winner, could and I was able to win that,” Rahm said. In all, 53 all seeking a first major win-level on four-under become the oldest major winner in history at players made the cut at 150, the ousted includ- par 140 through two rounds. “It was going to be age 57 if his balky back can last 72 holes. “If I’m ing ’s , the first defending try and hang on and make sure you didn’t play healthy enough to swing hard at it, I can play champion to miss the Masters weekend since yourself out of the tournament with scoring con- this course well,” Couples said. “I have to play Canada’s in 2004. — AFP ditions coming this weekend,” Fowler said. A host of big names-including second-ranked Rory McIlroy, reigning Olympic champion BADMINTON and past Masters winners , Phil Mickelson and -lurk within five strokes, setting up a mouth-watering weekend showdown in calmer conditions. “I’m excited Lee, Lin to battle in about the challenges that this weekend is going to bring, and hopefully I’ll step up to them and I’ll be able to be up there on Sunday with a solid Malaysia Open finals chance at winning,” Garcia said. KUCHING: Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei and two- Sarawak state on Borneo island. Earlier, Lin, over- Not since a storm-struck Masters 44 years ago time Olympic champion Lin Dan of China, the came stiff resistance from South Korea’s Son Wan ended in a Monday finish had so many people two greatest badminton stars of this era, on Ho to triumph 27-25, 19-21, 21-16 in 84 minutes. shared the midway lead. AUGUSTA: Thomas Pieters of Belgium waves on the 18th green during the second Friday stormed into the finals of the Malaysia As the crowd cheered the 33-year-old Olympic Garcia, who hopes to end his major drought round of the 2017 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on Friday in Open for an epic showdown. champion’s magical court craft, Lin in return Sunday on what would have been the 60th Augusta, Georgia. — AFP Lee, the world No. 1, inflicted a crushing 21- removed his t-shirt to reveal his muscular torso, birthday of the late icon Seve Ballesteros, 12, 21-9 defeat on helpless Hong Kong’s Wong delighting spectators. “The crowd support has opened with three birdies and played even from Wing Ki in 39 minutes of play in his drive to win been so warm here,” Lin, who will play Lee for the Man of steel Pieters, Rahm there to stake his claim to the top. “These first the tournament for the 12th time. 36th time, told reporters. “I am really happy to two rounds are probably the best I’ve ever Despite a bandaged left knee, the 34-year-old have a player like Lee to compete (against). I am ready for Masters showdown played at Augusta,” Garcia said. “I feel like I Lee deployed a combination of drop shots, killer sure we will both put on a good show.” Lin has a played great. I made a lot of great putts.” AUGUSTA: Two newcomers with nerves of Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, on one over 145, smashes and accurate baseline hits to win the 24-11 head-to-head advantage over Lee, but the America’s eighth-ranked Fowler eagled the par-5 steel, Thomas Pieters of Belgium and were made to suffer in the blustery condi- semi-finals game. After making a phenomenal Malaysian triumphed in their last encounter at second, sinking a bunker shot, and added four Spain’s Jon Rahm, are both handily placed tions in which Pieters said even poor scores start this year by winning last month’s All the Rio Olympics semifinals. birdies against a lone bogey to fire the day’s low to create an upset as the Masters third were respectable. England Open, the ageing Lee on Monday said Lin is regarded as the greatest badminton round of five-under par 67. round begins. Pieters, 25, ranked 35 in the he still has plenty of firepower as he aims for the player in history owing to his five World champi- Belgium’s Pieters, trying to become the first world, is in a four-way share of the lead MORE BIRDIES elusive World Championship title in August. onships and two Olympic gold medals. Masters debutante since 1979 to win the green with Rickie Fowler and of He said the par-five 15th hole, a poten- “Eleven years on, I’m back in the same stadi- But the Chinese star has never been able to jacket, eagled the par-5 13th and opened with the United States and Spain’s Sergio Garcia tial birdie hole among the easiest on the um where I triumphed against Lin,” he told the win in Malaysia. Lin reached the final three times his lone bogey, shot 68. “People talk about while Rahm, 22, is just three shots further course, was a case in point. reporters. “The whole world has been waiting for but was defeated by Lee in 2005 and 2006 and Augusta so much. It is special but it’s also just back and ready to pounce after two “Yesterday on 15, I hit six good shots another match between us after the (Rio) by Chen Long in 2015. In 2006, Lin was one point another course,” Pieters said. “You have to play rounds. Outsider Pieters, who had never and I made a six, and that hurts really bad,” Olympics. I will give it my best, especially playing away from the title as he led 20-13 in the decid- the wind gusts and be careful where you hit it.” played Augusta National until this week, said Pieters, from Antwerp. here in my home ground.” The Malaysia Open ing game, but Lee staged a phenomenal come- Hoffman, who opened with a 65 to claim the nevertheless says he knows exactly what to “But when you walk off and you tell began Tuesday in Kuching, the capital of back to win 23-21 in Kuching. — AFP do on the final hole if he is in with a chance yourself you hit six good shots, then what biggest 18-hole Masters edge since 1955, made come Sunday. “Oh, I’ve holed the winning else can you do? That’s just golf and that’s five bogeys in six holes but the American birdied putt about a million times,” said the Augusta, I guess.” The sun was shining 13 and parred in from there to cling to a share of Belgian, who started playing the game at Saturday from cloudlesss blue Georgia first. “I made a few errors,” Hoffman said. “All in all age five and grew up watching the Masters skies as the players prepared to tee-off for it’s not that bad. I like where I’m at, which is all every year on TV in his native Belgium. the third round and the forecast for the you can ask for.” “Yeah, I’ve watched it my whole life, as weekend is for calmer weather, a prospect American William McGirt stood two adrift in do all those guys. We’ve all had that in prac- that pleases Pieters. “I feel like it’s going to fifth on 142 with Spain’s Jon Rahm, England’s tice, that winning putt. Hopefully one day.” play a bit easier and make a bit more Rose and Americans Fred Couples and Ryan Pieters, who won three European tour birdies,” he said Pieters or Rahm, the Moore on 143. “Gusts bounced all over the events and finished tied 30th in the British Spaniard who is rated as one of the most place,” McGirt said. “There were a couple times Open, hit a four-under-par 68 in the second exciting new talents in golf, could become when it literally flipped 180 degrees.” round on Friday to jump to the top of the the first newcomers to Augusta to win the leaderboard on four-under 140 on a day Masters since in 1979. But MCILROY ‘RIGHT IN THIS’ when more experience campaigners suf- that is nothing but a statistic to Pieters. “It’s Americans Mickelson and Spieth and fered in the brutal winds that made every just a stat,” he said. “It’s just like, you know, ’s Scott were on level par 144. Five-time approach shot a gamble at Augusta as the best rookie on the Ryder Cup team. major champion Phil Mickelson would become National. “Well, I’ve been hitting really good You know we lost. So I don’t really care the oldest winner in Masters history two months shots. Even the ones where I made double about that stat.” before his 47th birthday by taking his fourth yesterday, I felt like I hit good shots,” said Neither pressure nor the mystique of green jacket. “I’m in a good spot heading into the week- the man who finished fourth at the Augusta weighs on the Belgian and he KUCHING: Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia hits a return to Wong Wing Ki Vincent of Hong Kong Olympics last year. won’t be losing any sleep about being at end. I’m playing well,” Mickelson said. “And I’m very optimistic I’m going to make a good run.” during their men’s singles semi-final match at the Malaysia Open Badminton Superseries Top players like Australia’s , the top of the leaderboard. “In my mind, in Kuching yesterday. —AFP who just made the cut, and Northern it’s just golf,” he said. —AFP Northern Irishman McIlroy, a four-time major champion trying to complete a career grand